Penlope Cruz Talks Being the Face of John Hardy and When She Met Mother Theresa

Josh Olins

In honor of our BAZAAR's February Love issue, we asked Penélope Cruz to share the things that hold a special place in her heart. Here, the 44-year-old actress and face of John Hardy praises Pedro Almodóvar and Holden Caulfield.

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

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María Barranco in Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

I love the characters. I saw it the first time when I was a girl, and now the director, Pedro Almodóvar, is like family to me. We just filmed our sixth film together, and I hope we will do many more.

Making movies that pose interesting questions

Cinema can be so powerful. I’m about to make Wasp Network, a movie about Cuban spies directed by Olivier Assayas, with Edgar Ramírez and Gael García Bernal, and at some point in the summer I will shoot the spy thriller 355 with Jessica Chastain. I’m very grateful to her for inviting me to be part of that project—it’s got five lead female characters in a genre that historically has had male leads.

“I love making movies that pose interesting questions. Cinema can be so powerful.”

Holden Caulfield

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The Catcher in the Rye is such a special book, and the insight into Holden’s mind is fascinating. When you read that book and you are young, it’s easy to identify with it in so many ways. I think Salinger was a genius.

My mother

I admire her for every-thing she has given us and for being so strong and honest. She had me when she was 21, so she’s still very young, and we are best friends. She owned a salon when I was growing up, and I loved spending time there and listening to all the women sharing their deepest secrets with her. Now I can cut and color people’s hair because I grew up in her salon.

Working with John Hardy

It’s important that any project I do aligns with my values. It feels very natural to work with a brand like John Hardy that is so thoughtful about how they show up in the world and contribute to a sustainable future. All of their pieces are handcrafted in Bali using techniques that have been passed down for generations, and are made with reclaimed gold and silver as well as ethically sourced stones. I also love that they champion female artisans and entrepreneurs. Even their Classic Chain motif is a pattern traditionally woven by women as a way to bring prosperity to their families.

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Mother Teresa

I’m in awe of the work she did. When I was 19, I spent time with her in India, and I can’t describe her energy with words. It’s quite difficult to explain, but her essence of peace and tranquillity coupled with dedication was really inspiring. She talked to me about the importance of trying to help someone else every single day of your life.

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Mother Teresa

The Museo Nacional del Prado

It’s in Madrid, and it’s my favorite museum. They have incredible paintings by Goya and also pieces like El Bosco’s The Garden of Earthly Delights.

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From left: El Bosco’s The Garden of Earthly Delights; Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid

On-set inside jokes

Many years ago, Johnny Depp made me the outfit of Mr. Hankey, the Christmas Poo, from South Park—it was a joke he’d planned for a while. And I wore it around the set on the last day of shooting. Of course, it had people on the floor laughing.

Bali

It’s magical there—the water, the sand, the people. It almost feels unreal. Ubud is a truly special place. They make the most amazing wood pieces. I bought a lot of furniture there.

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A temple in Ubud, Bali

This article originally appears in the February 2019 print issue of Harper's BAZAAR, available on newsstands January 22.

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